Kansas participating in states’ lawsuit over generic drugs

TOPEKA — Kansas has joined 42 other states and Puerto Rico in a federal lawsuit alleging that large manufacturers of generic drugs have conspired to artificially inflate prices.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced the state’s participation Monday. The states filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut.

The lawsuit alleges that 20 firms conspired to inflate prices for more than 100 generic drugs. They include treatments for diabetes, cancer and arthritis.

The lawsuit also names 15 senior executives responsible for pricing, sales and marketing as defendants. It asks for a finding that the defendants’ actions violated federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws.

A company named in the lawsuit, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, has said it hasn’t engaged in conduct that would lead to civil or criminal liability.